MAM
Ad Agencies Guild of Delhi plans electronic ROs for members
MUMBAI: The Advertising Agencies Guild of Delhi (AAG), which has been trying to encourage their 35 member ad agencies towards total automation of their media functions, has tied up with leading IT vendor Mediaware Infotech Pvt Ltd for offering their software at special prices to member agencies.
AAG was established in 2004 to present a united front – a strategy to get better deals and offers from media owners and various other service providers
Last year AAG tied up with the Indian arm of international media house Carat India to take advantage of their planning services and consolidate media negotiations and buying. However, due to some complexities, this model is yet to take off.
“Activities like media buying and media planning is a high-level activity which requires a minimum level. The idea was to raise our minimum levels. Automation, computer literacy will raise the average level of each of our member agencies. Finally, our members need to adopt a common platform for electronic release orders (ROs), invoices and reporting which Mediaware is in the process of putting in place,” says AAG president Kunal Lalani.
Mediaware Infotech conducted a special training-cum-demonstration session, on 25 February for the AAG members at the India International Centre. Apart from in-depth software features, the session covered new products released, connectivity to media planning software, new products and modules in the pipeline and a discussion on electronic ROs, invoices and estimates.
Brands
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail reshuffles top deck; Nikhil Modha to take over as CFO
Phased transition sees Marco Agnolin head OWND!, Nikhil Modha lined up as CFO as company readies next growth leg
MUMBAI: Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail is redrawing its leadership map, lining up a new generation of executives across key roles as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The company has named Suraj Bahirwani as chief executive (designate) of Pantaloons, effective April 1, 2026, with a full transition to the top role slated for October 1, 2026. He will also be designated as senior managerial personnel.
A two-decade veteran of the Aditya Birla Group, Bahirwani joined as a group management trainee in 2002 and has since held a string of leadership roles across retail and manufacturing. His resume spans stints at Aditya Birla Retail, a tenure as chief operating officer of Pantaloons, and most recently, head of global sales at the group’s cellulosic fibres business, where he drove international expansion and strengthened value-added portfolios.
Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Mumbai, a postgraduate management diploma from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and is a chartered accountant. Over the years, he has picked up multiple chairman’s awards, including distinguished achiever, exceptional contributor and accomplished leader.
The transition at Pantaloons will be staged. Incumbent chief executive Sangeeta Tanwani will continue until September 30, 2026, steering the handover before moving into an advisory role to the managing director from October 1, 2026. She is set to retire on January 31, 2027, at which point she will step down as whole-time director and key managerial personnel.
Alongside, the company has brought in Marco Agnolin as chief executive of OWND! and senior managerial personnel, effective April 6, 2026. Agnolin arrives with over three decades of global experience, having held senior roles at Inditex, where he helped expand Zara in Italy, and later served as chief executive of Bershka and Diesel. His track record spans fast fashion, brand turnarounds and youth-focused retail.
On the finance side, Nikhil Modha has been appointed chief financial officer (designate) and senior managerial personnel from April 1, 2026. He will assume full charge as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel from January 1, 2027.
Current chief financial officer Jagdish Bajaj will oversee a phased transition until December 31, 2026, before retiring and stepping down from his roles.
The reshuffle signals a calibrated succession plan rather than a sudden overhaul, with the company staggering exits and appointments to ensure continuity even as it refreshes leadership across verticals.
As Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail juggles legacy brands and new-age formats, the message is clear: steady hands for the present, sharper ones for the future—and no pause in the push for scale.
